15. Khris Middleton, Texas A&M

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On a team that relies more on defense and limiting the number of possessions in a game, Middleton stands out as the Aggies' key offensive threat.

Averaging a team-leading 14.3 points per game, Middleton is also second in rebounding (5.2), assists (2.8) and steals. He is not a great three-point shooter but is excellent from the free-throw line, hitting 80 percent.

A&M squares off against Florida State in the first round in a game that matches two very similar styles. The Aggies will need Middleton's scoring against a very stingy defense.

11. Austin Freeman, Georgetown

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Freeman has had an outstanding season, averaging 18 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.

He is an excellent free-throw shooter (86.5 percent) and an average defender. After starting the season hot from beyond the arc, Freeman has struggled down the stretch. Part of this can be attributed to the absence of point guard Chris Wright but his swoon started prior to Wright's injury.

In the last nine games, Freeman is an abysmal 10-of-55 from three. This has to change for the Hoyas if they have any hope of a March run.

9. Nikola Vucevic

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In a season of ups and downs for USC, on the court and off, Vucevic has been the one constant for the Trojans.

He posts consistently high scoring and rebounding totals, averaging over 17 points and 10 rebounds per game. Vucevic has posted double-doubles in nine of his last 10 games and has 21 overall for the season.

In the post, he is also a legitimate shot-blocker and can defend out to the perimeter. He is USC's best and most complete player.

8. Kevin Anderson, Richmond

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Last year's A-10 Player of the Year and an All-Conference performer this year, Anderson led the Spiders to a school-record 27 wins this season.

A 43 percent shooter from three-point range, Anderson averages 16.5 points per game, second on the team to Justin Harper. More importantly, he controls the tempo of the game for coach Chris Mooney, a former Princeton player who employs a very deliberate offensive scheme.

Anderson will be the player to watch for the Spiders in the first-round matchup with Vanderbilt.

5. Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame

I'm not sure the Irish envisioned this kind of player when Hansbrough transferred from Mississippi State.

He is unquestionably the leader of a team that many thought would snag a No. 1 seed in this year's tourney.

Hansbrough leads the team in a number of categories including scoring, assists, steals and three-point shooting percentage. He is the floor general and clearly doesn't lack the confidence to take the big shot.

Notre Dame's run could hinge on whether or not Hansbrough can match up with other teams' guards defensively and stay out of foul trouble.

4. Preston Knowles, Louisville

Putting Knowles here is not saying he is better than Hansbrough. But he is just as valuable to Louisville as Ben is to Notre Dame.

The lone senior on the squad, Knowles has led the Cardinals from the start to an improbable third-place finish in the Big East.

A good three-point shooter, Knowles averages 14.5 points per game in a balanced Louisville attack. What he also does is disrupt. He and Peyton Siva are two of the quickest defenders you will see and lead a relentless Cardinal press. Between the two they average four steals per game.

Knowles flies a little under the radar but he shouldn't. He is an outstanding player at both ends of the floor.

3. Marcus Morris, Kansas

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Marcus Morris is a matchup nightmare for almost any team.

His 17 points and seven rebounds per game are first and second respectively on the team (his brother flip-flops these stats with him) but it is his overall game that sets him apart from most others at his position.

He can post up inside or shoot from midrange and out, a new dimension added to his game this year. He shoots a high percentage (58) and doesn't often force his shots.

Like his brother, he can be a little volatile. He needs to be on the court for Kansas to be successful.